Warning: That Bag of Frozen Shrimp Isn’t Kosher!

Recently, I went on a temple retreat hosted at a Conservative Jewish camp.  I was surprised and frustrated to learn of a camp rule against serving soy milk during meat meals. 

"But...it's really just bean juice," I argued.  

No luck.  According to them, if it's called milk, it ain't kosher with meat.  Is this a widespread regulation?  

It's the first I've heard.  But if that's the policy, are you not allowed to eat tofu hot dogs and soy milk together, even though it's made out of the same product?  Or is soy milk still considered to be the proverbial mother's milk to the hot dog's kid?

Well, I think that the point is to prevent confusion and unease.  I've heard of putting out the packaging of a parve product that might be confused with either dairy or meat where it'll be easily seen to reassure people that a meal is kosher despite what it may seem like.  Of course if your shrimp chips are mistakenly marked kosher, I guess you're out of luck.

Some orthodox Jews will not have soy milk with meat based on the concept of maris ayin or avoiding the appearance of a halachic violation. However, most orthodox Jews I know will use soy milk with meat (assuming the soy milk is parave; some is made on dairy equipment or is in fact dairy).   I have seen soy milk on the table with meat meals at the homes of orthodox Rabbis. Occassionally, I will see that some leave the actual package with the hechsher on the table so everyone knows what it is. I have been told that some Rabbis have ruled that the package should be left on the table to avoid any confusion. I believe that the prevailing opinion in the last 20 years or more is that most people know that there are non dairy creamers and milks and so there is no maris ayin issue. When I used to keep strictly kosher, I would leave the package out so that guests would not have any doubt.  

It's ironc that a conservative camp would prohibit soy milk with meat, since in most areas conservative groups are less stringent regarding kashrut (e.g., many conservative shuls allow the use of cheese without a hechsher, even though that is contrary to orthodox practice). That reflects an amuisng (and at times frustrating)  lack of consistency that I often find in my own life. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one...

 is so classy, especially when the Rabbi comes to call. I love dining with the orthodox!